NCAA.org - The Official Site of the NCAA - Smith Collegehttp://www.ncaa.org/member-schools/smith-college
enNo Obstacleshttp://www.ncaa.org/about/resources/media-center/news/no-obstacles
<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden component__content--wysiwyg"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p><span style="font-family: 'Source Sans', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Grande', 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.6em;">By Jack Copeland</span></p>
<p>As the end of her senior year, Tori Murden was surprised to be honored with Smith College’s top athletics award, as the student who best represented the ideals of a scholar-athlete.</p>
<div><span style="line-height: 1.6em;">She had competed in rowing and squash at the prestigious women’s college and served as co-captain of the Smith basketball team, but didn’t consider herself the most valuable member of any of those teams – although she set what were at the time Smith records for average rebounds per game (11.3) and field-goal percentage (44.6 percent).</span></div>
<p>She also served as a student athletic trainer, and while the premedicine-turned-psychology major excelled at providing treatment – it was fellow student-athletes who had received care from Murden who nominated her for the scholar-athlete award – she didn’t view her efforts as unusual.</p>
<p>After graduation, Murden would earn three advanced degrees in the disciplines of divinity, law and writing. She would gain fame by becoming one of the first two women to ski cross country to the South Pole and then as the first woman to row solo across the Atlantic Ocean – an adventure she would write about in the 2009 book A Pearl in the Storm: How I Found My Heart in the Middle of the Atlantic.</p>
<p>But at the end of her senior year at Smith, she considered returning the scholar-athlete award, feeling she wasn’t deserving of the honor. She recalls in the book talking it over with Linda Moulton, associate athletics director at the school.</p>
<p>“Linda didn’t attempt to argue with me,” she writes of Moulton, who later would serve as director of athletics at Clark University and serve on several NCAA committees, including the Division III Management Council. “She thought for a moment and said, ‘Most Valuable Players come and go. Being the best only lasts for a few seasons.’ She reminded me how offended I’d been to see female athletes at other schools treated like second-class citizens. She called me an ‘idealist,’ but the softness in her voice made it clear that she meant it as a compliment. ‘You believe in the ideals of the scholar-athlete. No one can live up to that in four years. That may take a lifetime.’”</p>
<p>Nearly three decades later, she passionately has pursued those ideals not only athletically but academically, ultimately leading to her selection in 2010 as president of Division III member Spalding University after working in a series of service-oriented positions. In January, as part of Division III’s celebration of its 40th anniversary year, <a href="http://wcm.ncaa.org/wps/wcm/myconnect/public/NCAA/Resources/Latest+News/2013/November/Tori+Murden+McClure+will+be+Division+III+keynote+speaker+at+2014+NCAA+Convention?id=7a2320804210bddcaaeffb07376deb1f&amp;isdraft=true&amp;WCM_Page.ResetAll=TRUE&amp;CACHE=NONE&amp;CONTENTCACHE=NONE&amp;CONNECTORCACHE=NONE&amp;SRV=Page" title="http://wcm.ncaa.org/wps/wcm/myconnect/public/NCAA/Resources/Latest+News/2013/November/Tori+Murden+McClure+will+be+Division+III+keynote+speaker+at+2014+NCAA+Convention?id=7a2320804210bddcaaeffb07376deb1f&amp;isdraft=true&amp;WCM_Page.ResetAll=TRUE&amp;CACHE=NONE&amp;CONTENTCACHE=NONE&amp;CONNECTORCACHE=NONE&amp;SRV=Page">she will serve as keynote speaker</a> for the division’s observance of the milestone during the 2014 NCAA Convention in San Diego.</p>
<div><span style="line-height: 1.6em;">As was the case during her senior year, she remains modest about her most famous but far from only noteworthy feat of her lifetime – the successful 3,333-mile journey across the Atlantic in 1999. She put it in perspective in a 2009 interview with the Smith Alumnae Quarterly, in which she was asked what she had accomplished.</span></div>
<p>“In the grand scheme of things, nothing,” she replied. “It doesn’t matter at all that a woman has rowed alone across the ocean. What matters is how I translate that experience into my civilized life. What matters are the persistence, the endurance, the passion, the comfort with uncertainty, and the tolerance for adversity that I bring to my day-to-day activities. These are the things required to make a difference in the civilized world.”</p>
<p>Nominated by Lynn Oberbillig, director of athletics and recreation at Smith College.</p>
</div></div></div><ul class="tags__listing"><li class="tags__item"><a href="/about/resources/media-center/news" class="tags__link">News</a></li><li class="tags__item"><a href="/d3" class="tags__link">Division III</a></li><li class="tags__item"><a href="/themes/topics/division-ii-40th-anniversary" class="tags__link">Division II 40th Anniversary</a></li><li class="tags__item"><a href="/themes/topics/former-student-athletes" class="tags__link">Former Student-Athletes</a></li><li class="tags__item"><a href="/member-schools/smith-college" class="tags__link">Smith College</a></li><li class="tags__item"><a href="/sports/rowing" class="tags__link">Rowing</a></li></ul>Wed, 04 Dec 2013 05:00:00 +0000vcortez1608 at http://www.ncaa.orghttp://www.ncaa.org/about/resources/media-center/news/no-obstacles#commentsStudent-athletes among 2014 Rhodes Scholarshttp://www.ncaa.org/about/resources/media-center/news/student-athletes-among-2014-rhodes-scholars
<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden component__content--wysiwyg"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p>Four NCAA student-athletes have been named Rhodes scholars for 2014. A fifth scholar, Alexander Diaz, managed Harvard’s men’s basketball team.</p>
<p>Student-athletes receiving the award include:</p>
<ul><li>Clarke Knight — <a href="http://www.smithpioneers.com/" target="_blank">Smith College</a>, chemistry, rowing and cross country</li>
<li>Brian McGrail — <a href="http://athletics.williams.edu/" target="_blank">Williams College</a>, political economy and history, cross country</li>
<li>Miles Unterreiner — <a href="http://www.gostanford.com/" target="_blank">Stanford</a> University, bachelor’s and master’s in history, track and field and cross country </li>
<li>Jessica Wamala — <a href="http://www.villanova.com/" target="_blank">Villanova</a> University, bachelor’s and master’s in political science, basketball</li>
</ul><p><br />
Approximately 80 winners are selected each year—32 from the United States. The American students will join an international group of scholars selected from 14 other jurisdictions around the world.</p>
<p>The Rhodes Scholarships provide awardees a fully funded opportunity to study at the University of Oxford in England for at least two years. The awards, among the most prestigious in academia, have a value of approximately $50,000 per year.</p>
<p>Clarke Knight is a rowing and cross country student-athlete at Smith College. A chemistry major, she was awarded a grant at the University of Tasmania to investigate two diseases that had a significant impact on the global potato crop, resulting in the discovery and marketing of a new chemical that neutralized the disease and increased global potato production by an estimated one billion.</p>
<p>She was awarded a fellowship at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to study the stability of biological samples from people exposed to mercury. Clarke also has authored a book on the history of women architects and biographies on early Smith chemistry graduates.</p>
<p>She plans to continue her education at Oxford where she will enter the master’s of philosophy program, studying geography and the environment.</p>
<p>Brian McGrail is a senior cross-country student-athlete at Williams College. A Truman Scholar member of Phi Beta Kappa, McGrail interned with Elizabeth Warren’s Senate campaign and is president of the Williams College Democrats.</p>
<p>He is doing research on the effect of tax rates on income inequality and volunteers to help low-income individuals prepare their taxes. While attending Oxford, McGrail plans to complete the master’s in comparative social policy.</p>
<p>Miles Unterreiner was a two-time All-American in track and field and cross country at Stanford and received the <a href="/wps/wcm/connect/public/NCAA/Resources/Latest+News/2012/May/NCAA+recognizes+winter+postgraduate+scholars">2012 NCAA Winter Postgraduate Scholarship</a>. Unterreiner received his bachelor’s and master’s in history and was given Stanford’s award for the graduating varsity athlete with the highest grade point average.</p>
<p>The recipient of the Robert Novak Collegiate Journalism Award, he was a writer, columnist and managing editor for opinions for The Stanford Daily. Unterreiner has an interest in international human rights and plans to do the master’s of philosophy program in international relations at Oxford.</p>
<p>Jessica Wamala graduated in May with a degree in political science from Villanova and is currently pursuing a master’s. She is the co-captain, forward of the women’s basketball team and is a Truman Scholar, a Rangel Scholar, and a Gates Millennium Scholar.</p>
<p>Wamala was a sophomore walk-on for the Wildcats and has interned at the U.S. Embassy in Belgrade and at the State Department office of Near Eastern Affairs. She plans to pursue a master’s of philosophy in modern Middle Eastern studies at Oxford.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.rhodesscholar.org/" target="_blank">Rhodes Scholars</a> are selected in a two-step process that includes nomination by their universities and a detailed finalist interview. In determining the award, the committee considers criteria set out in the will of Cecil Rhodes, including “high academic achievement, integrity of character, a spirit of unselfishness, respect for others, potential for leadership and physical vigor.”</p>
<p>Among previous NCAA student-athlete Rhodes recipients are Princeton graduate and former U.S. Sen. Bill Bradley, former Florida State football safety Myron Rolle, Southern California graduate and Athletics Director Pat Haden and former associate justice of the Supreme Court Byron White. White won football’s Heisman Trophy at Colorado and also was a recipient of the NCAA’s Theodore Roosevelt Award.</p>
</div></div></div><ul class="tags__listing"><li class="tags__item"><a href="/about/resources/media-center/news" class="tags__link">News</a></li><li class="tags__item"><a href="/d1" class="tags__link">Division I</a></li><li class="tags__item"><a href="/d2" class="tags__link">Division II</a></li><li class="tags__item"><a href="/d3" class="tags__link">Division III</a></li><li class="tags__item"><a href="/member-schools/smith-college" class="tags__link">Smith College</a></li><li class="tags__item"><a href="/member-schools/williams-college" class="tags__link">Williams College</a></li><li class="tags__item"><a href="/member-schools/stanford-university" class="tags__link">Stanford University</a></li><li class="tags__item"><a href="/member-schools/villanova-university" class="tags__link">Villanova University</a></li><li class="tags__item"><a href="/sports/rowing" class="tags__link">Rowing</a></li><li class="tags__item"><a href="/sports/mens-cross-country" class="tags__link">Men&#039;s Cross Country</a></li><li class="tags__item"><a href="/sports/mens-outdoor-track-field" class="tags__link">Men&#039;s Outdoor Track &amp; Field</a></li><li class="tags__item"><a href="/sports/womens-basketball" class="tags__link">Women&#039;s Basketball</a></li></ul>Tue, 26 Nov 2013 05:00:00 +0000vcortez1522 at http://www.ncaa.orghttp://www.ncaa.org/about/resources/media-center/news/student-athletes-among-2014-rhodes-scholars#commentsDIII/NASPA pilot offers online tool to combat alcohol abusehttp://www.ncaa.org/about/resources/media-center/news/diii/naspa-pilot-offers-online-tool-combat-alcohol-abuse
<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden component__content--wysiwyg"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><h2><strong style="font-family: 'Source Sans', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Grande', 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.6em;">By Kat Krtnick</strong></h2>
<p><em>NCAA.org</em></p>
<p>The partnership between Division III and NASPA (Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education) has taken an important step forward with the development of an online resource to help reduce the consequences of alcohol use on college campuses and enhance student success through campus collaboration and integration.</p>
<p>The primary resource for campuses will be a web portal, with a supplemental training and implementation program. About two dozen Division III schools will use the portal this year as part of a pilot program developed by Division III and NASPA.</p>
<p>“The program will be adaptable and versatile, designed with the ultimate goal of expanding to other issues and institutions,” said Dan Dutcher, NCAA Division III vice president. </p>
<p>Based on the belief that any one action a campus takes is a piece of an overall puzzle, the web portal will feature:</p>
<ul><li>A Personalized Feedback Intervention, which is an online instrument that provides immediate feedback to students about their alcohol and drug behavior and that of their peers. (This mechanism has been empirically shown to reduce alcohol use and alcohol-related consequences among college students.)</li>
<li>A self-study campus assessment tool, which will help institutions identify areas where improvements can be made.</li>
<li>A best-practices tool, which will deliver information from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism to help campuses activate and execute alcohol and drug curriculum and programs.</li>
</ul><p><br />
“Ultimately, the resource is designed to encourage campuses to create a comprehensive plan that reaches individual students, teams and the entire campus,” said Kevin Kruger, NASPA president. “It also ensures each plan focuses on four important elements: policies, enforcement, education and prevention/intervention programs.”</p>
<p>To help campuses establish the infrastructure necessary to use and sustain the web portal, a training and implementation program will be offered, as well as a promotional kit to help underscore the value of the web portal to a variety of campuses audiences, ranging from presidents and faculty to athletics and student affairs practitioners.</p>
<p>The Personalized Feedback Intervention will be piloted in 2012-13, and the remaining program elements will be piloted in 2013-14. The full program will launch for the fall of 2014.</p>
<p> </p>
<h3>Pilot program schools</h3>
<ul><li>Alfred University</li>
<li>Austin College</li>
<li>Calvin College</li>
<li>Carthage College</li>
<li>Coe College</li>
<li>Emory University</li>
<li>Fairleigh Dickinson University, Florham</li>
<li>Gustavus Adolphus College</li>
<li>Hiram College</li>
<li>Husson University</li>
<li>Moravian College</li>
<li>New England College</li>
<li>Newbury College</li>
<li>Richard Stockton College of New Jersey</li>
<li>Smith College</li>
<li>State University of New York at Canton</li>
<li>University of Pittsburgh, Bradford</li>
<li>University of Redlands</li>
<li>University of Texas at Dallas</li>
<li>Washington and Lee University</li>
<li>Whitworth College</li>
<li>Wilmington College (Ohio)</li>
<li>University of Wisconsin, La Crosse</li>
</ul></div></div></div><ul class="tags__listing"><li class="tags__item"><a href="/about/resources/media-center/news" class="tags__link">News</a></li><li class="tags__item"><a href="/d3" class="tags__link">Division III</a></li><li class="tags__item"><a href="/member-schools/alfred-university" class="tags__link">Alfred University</a></li><li class="tags__item"><a href="/member-schools/austin-college" class="tags__link">Austin College</a></li><li class="tags__item"><a href="/member-schools/calvin-college" class="tags__link">Calvin College</a></li><li class="tags__item"><a href="/member-schools/carthage-college" class="tags__link">Carthage College</a></li><li class="tags__item"><a href="/member-schools/coe-college" class="tags__link">Coe College</a></li><li class="tags__item"><a href="/member-schools/emory-university" class="tags__link">Emory University</a></li><li class="tags__item"><a href="/member-schools/fairleigh-dickinson-florham" class="tags__link">Fairleigh Dickinson, Florham</a></li><li class="tags__item"><a href="/member-schools/gustavus-adolphus-college" class="tags__link">Gustavus Adolphus College</a></li><li class="tags__item"><a href="/member-schools/hiram-college" class="tags__link">Hiram College</a></li><li class="tags__item"><a href="/member-schools/husson-university" class="tags__link">Husson University</a></li><li class="tags__item"><a href="/member-schools/moravian-college" class="tags__link">Moravian College</a></li><li class="tags__item"><a href="/member-schools/new-england-college" class="tags__link">New England College</a></li><li class="tags__item"><a href="/member-schools/newbury-college" class="tags__link">Newbury College</a></li><li class="tags__item"><a href="/member-schools/smith-college" class="tags__link">Smith College</a></li><li class="tags__item"><a href="/member-schools/university-pittsburgh-bradford" class="tags__link">University of Pittsburgh, Bradford</a></li><li class="tags__item"><a href="/member-schools/university-redlands" class="tags__link">University of Redlands</a></li><li class="tags__item"><a href="/member-schools/university-texas-dallas" class="tags__link">University of Texas-Dallas</a></li><li class="tags__item"><a href="/member-schools/washington-and-lee-university" class="tags__link">Washington and Lee University</a></li><li class="tags__item"><a href="/member-schools/whitworth-university" class="tags__link">Whitworth University</a></li><li class="tags__item"><a href="/member-schools/wilmington-college-ohio" class="tags__link">Wilmington College (Ohio)</a></li><li class="tags__item"><a href="/member-schools/fairleigh-dickinson-florham" class="tags__link">Fairleigh Dickinson, Florham</a></li></ul>Mon, 29 Oct 2012 04:00:00 +0000vcortez987 at http://www.ncaa.orghttp://www.ncaa.org/about/resources/media-center/news/diii/naspa-pilot-offers-online-tool-combat-alcohol-abuse#comments